The Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek (MJFSA) presented by Nedbank, has announced the first phase of artists for its inaugural African edition, marking a defining cultural moment as one of the world’s most respected music festivals makes its debut on African soil.
From legendary voices to bold contemporary composers and unexpected collaborations, the first artists set the tone for a festival shaped by intention rather than scale.
UPDATE: All the multi-stage Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek acts have been announced – check it out here!
Book Montreux Franschhoek tickets at Ticketmaster.
The Arches | Main Stage
Headlining the first phase on The Arches, the festival’s main outdoor stage, is the legendary Salif Keita. Widely regarded as The Golden Voice of Africa, Keita is one of the most influential artists in African music history, with a career spanning more than five decades.
Also taking centre stage is Mandisi Dyantyis, one of South Africa’s most compelling contemporary composers and bandleaders.
Known for his deeply expressive trumpet work and genre-fluid compositions, Dyantyis represents the evolving language of African jazz today – sophisticated, emotive and unafraid to draw from classical, folk and modern influences.
Adding to the spirit of collaboration is Billy Monama’s Guitar Convergence, it brings together acclaimed musicians Moss Mogale and Vusi Mahlasela. This rare convergence of guitar voices promises a powerful and unexpected musical dialogue – rooted in African storytelling, social memory and shared virtuosity.
The Kesivan amaBig Band Experience
A bold collaborative statement led by drummer and composer Kesivan Naidoo, based between Switzerland and South Africa, brings together a 26-piece ensemble of South African and European musicians, with strong Swiss representation.
The project reflects longstanding musical exchange between South Africa and Switzerland – a relationship central to the Montreux story. Reimagining amapiano, traditionally electronic and groove-driven, through the language of a large acoustic jazz ensemble, the performance establishes a collaborative foundation for the festival.
Featuring lead vocalists Boohle, Stogie T and BONJ, the ensemble is anchored by Boohle’s unmistakable voice – one of the most emotionally resonant in contemporary amapiano. Her presence provides a vital connective thread between the genre’s electronic origins and its orchestral reinterpretation.
The Jazz Village | NG Church Complex
The Jazz Village programme offers an intimate and exploratory counterpoint to The Arches – a space dedicated to deep listening, conversation and jazz in its many evolving forms. Designed for audiences who value proximity, nuance and discovery, Jazz Village foregrounds musicianship, lineage and experimentation.
Among the first confirmed artists is a meaningful collaboration between Madala Kunene and Sibusile Xaba. This meeting of generations fuses Kunene’s masterful maskandi guitar tradition and Xaba’s exploratory, genre-fluid approach, creating a dialogue that bridges past and present, heritage and innovation.
Also appearing in the Jazz Village is ensemble Kwanti Leeh!, comprising Herbie Tsoaeli, Andile Yenana, Ayanda Sikade and Sisonke Xonti. Together, they represent a powerful cross-section of South Africa’s contemporary jazz excellence.
With performances ticketed per show, Jazz Village invites audiences into an environment rooted in discovery, musical intimacy and shared experience set within the grounds of a vibrant, social and flexible space.
“Jazz Village is where we allow the music to breathe,” said Lindsay Rhoda, Artistic Curator: Music & Programming for MJFSA. “It’s a space for lineage, collaboration and experimentation – where artists can take risks and audiences can truly listen. These are conversations across generations and genres, and that dialogue is at the heart of what Montreux stands for.”
Festival tickets
Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek tickets are live on Ticketmaster for The Arches stage – see Salif Keita, Mandisi Dyantyis, Billy Monama’s Guitar Convergence, The Kesivan amaBig Band Experience and a selection of artists at the Jazz Village
Further artist announcements will follow weekly, leading up to the full programme reveal in early March. As a taste of things to come, this first unveiling sets the scene for a distinctive edition of Montreux, grounded in African expression and global exchange.
Taking place from 27–29 March 2026, Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek brings a globally revered cultural institution to Africa for the first time – not as a replica of its Swiss counterpart, but as a thoughtfully curated edition shaped by context, collaboration and place. Designed as an intimate, hospitality-led experience, the festival offers audiences the rare opportunity to engage deeply with music, artists and environment.
Performances will be staged on The Arches (from lunchtime to midnight) and at Jazz Village (from 3pm to midnight) on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the festival embraces the Sunday Slowdown with several music offerings in the village throughout the Montreux Mile. Stay tuned for further details.
This opening announcement reflects Montreux’s enduring commitment to artistic depth, global exchange and African excellence, presenting a programme that bridges generations, geographies and musical languages.
Mark Goedvolk, founder of Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek. “This first announcement reflects the spirit of Montreux at its best – where 60 years of legacy meets Africa’s artistic flair on the continent for the first time, and where African voices are central to the global musical conversation.”
Tickets for The Arches will go on sale via Here is the weblink: Ticketmaster from 09H00 on 28th January 2026.
Ticket sales for Jazz Village will open once the full line-up for this stage is complete.
For hospitality information, please reach out to: hospitality@mjfsa.com
Read Weekend Special’s Kyle Shepherd interview here.
What: Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek
When: 27–29 March 2026
Where: Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa
Web: www.mjfsa.com
Social media: Instagram: @mjffranschhoek, Facebook: Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek, X (Twitter): @mjffranschhoek, TikTok: @montreuxjazzfestivalsa
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